


And humans always walk towards their own destruction

by moriido



Category: no lol - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-28 13:03:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10102025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moriido/pseuds/moriido
Summary: The arrival of new books excites some and distresses the others.





	

**Author's Note:**

> . The title is a loose quote from Sound Horizon's "El no tenbin".
> 
> . The librarian is unfortunately no placeholder; she has a name that is mentioned within the fic and relationships with two writers that are established not in this one. Turn back before too late.
> 
> . I'm not too sure I'm doing the characters justice.

The special books are delivered as scheduled. When she welcomes them into her arms, she feels her inside slowly hollowed out. It is a bright and warm morning and the corridor is filled with sunshine, yet she can barely feel the light along her sides. Every step that she braces feels dangerously close to some unknown cliff. The ground that follows her trail threatens to crumble. She hears the sound of something falling apart, loud and louder.

Her assistant is awaiting her arrival near the door that opens to the library. Something renders his greeting smile broken, and his first salutation smeared with worries.

"You don't look so good. Wanna go back to your office? I can relay the orders for you."

She stops short of the door, not meeting his gaze.

"I'm fine. Or rather, I should."

 

* * *

 

"That'll be all."

Kitahara is the first one to raise his voice.

"Is there any particular reason that stops you from sending Koutarou to purify his book?"

"Strategy. Plan. And your objection is?"

"It's important to him."

"Your books are important to you - I respect that. But after all this time, I expect you to understand that the necessity to purify the book doesn't go hand in hand with the need to bring their respective author along."

A few murmurs can be heard. Most of the crowd find her explanation unusually curt and uncooperative, for the book in question is more than just an artistic investment for the aforementioned author. Koutarou himself, however, walks up to Kitahara and tries to persuade him to drop the argument. The exchanged words earn a scowl from Kitahara, before he signs his compromise with a grunted "fine" at Koutarou.

The librarian stares blankly at the ground, her hands clutched together as if praying. The next thing she utters is directed at the assistant next to her; her voice slightly creaks here and there.

"What is your opinion on this, Kikuchi, as my assistant?"

"I don't really see anything wrong with your plan." He rubs his chin in thoughts. "Our priority is to get more writers prepared for the coming books. Miss Librarian doesn't really forbid the 1st team to challenge these books later either, and let's forget not these are arranged weekly."

As a so-called third party's perspective reminds them of what may have been blinded by sentiments, the tension in the room is somewhat loosened. Kikuchi is known for being rational for anything but gambling, so in general his opinions are taken into consideration outside said scenarios even if they personally would rather not find him authoritative. Koutarou finds his chance to chime in as well.

"I believe you have good reasons for this, so I'll follow you."

"...Well then. Let's carry out the delves as planned. Your cooperation is much appreciated."

The librarian bows to the lines of writers before her; most of them nod back right away, and soon all but two scatter to fulfill their duty. One is Mushanokouji, the other is obviously Kikuchi.

Mushanokouji waits until everyone is almost away from sight to pull the librarian into a tight hug, which startles her nearby assistant good.

"It'll be fine", the librarian chokes, "I'll get myself together."

The other says not a word, keeping her close in his arms for a good while. Kikuchi has to fake a cough in order to get back their attention.

"You should return to your team, Musha. We should get the books ready too, Sui."

The couple, still looking somewhat dazed, glance at Kikuchi before back at each other. The young man strokes the girl's cheek; the looks they exchange are unmistakenly intimate, like ones between lovers, that prompts the third wheel to avert his eyes.

"Could I pay you a visit when we're done?"

"Of course."

  
  
She sends him off with a smile. The third wheel, or well, her assistant  watches the young man retreating into the small path between rows of bookshelves, then darts his line of sight back at his librarian to find her face a bit brighter and yet her smile somewhat sadder.

"I've worried you too, haven't I?"

The man fails to respond right away.

"Not that I mind", he pauses, "I'm pretty used to it, actually."

She turns to give him a surprised look, soon subdued into a mask of courtesy.

"That's kind of you."

 

* * *

   
  
She and he are the last two leaving the delving room. Their surrounding dimly lit, the moonlight trickling through the windows and softly tracing their frames on the hallway. All ended well, but he still has some questions that bug his mind. The turn ahead will lead them to her office and end their interaction for today, so he might as well draw a chance.

Curiosity often feels intrusive, he knows. Care may be deemed masked when they are barely close, he admits. There is something... desolate in the way that she acts. He can let her be; this unpleasant feeling that clutches at his chest will not.

"About this morning...", he wants to word it nicely, although this proves to be harder than he thought.

The girl halts her footsteps, and he ceases his too. Without motions, darkness grows larger, and moonlight pales.

"I'm jealous. Of that woman."

As odd as it is, he hears no hatred in that statement. She seems accepting rather than resisting, as if her object of defiance was fate and not something tangible like a love rival.

"Jealousy is a twisted thing, and the jealous one is, often than not, ugly and pathetic."

The voice that the girl uses to condemn herself sounds as casual as a breath, soon forfeiting itself into the night. She sinks into silence, so long that it feels like darkness almost swallows her lonesome figure.

It urges him to reach out, but she turns around the moment that his fingers are barely an inch away. The neutral expression on her face, worn tight like a mask, guides ghastly pleasantries into their renewed converse.

"Maybe next week. I'd love a break from playing favouritism; they'll give me an earful for sure."

He withdraws his hand and casts out a sigh, unsure of relief or resignation. She and he have worked together for one month short, which is barely enough to grasp each other's pattern, let alone how to deal with personal moments like this. Right now, she shows no desire to open further either, so it is probably better to leave things at this.

For some reason, she reminds him of someone, strangely so. The chill runs down his spine again when he recalls a few blinks ago that the looming darkness threatened to take her away. He takes a few steps closer, a quiet gaze later to pat her head. His palm feels the tangible warmth that proves life, and he breaks into a smile as his words are slowly churned out.

"Still, thank you for looking after us all this time. I'm sure the other guys would understand it too... Anyway, when it's your turn to get some care, I'll be right here for you, okay?"

The girl mouths a quiet "oh". She, too, shows a smile, tinted with sadness. 

"It isn't my habit to break, but I'll hold you to your flirting someday."

"Hold on, I didn't mean to flirt wi- Wait, where are you going?"

"Bed. You're not invited tonight."

"Listen to me."

"Good night, Big Bro."

Now, his sign definitely comes from resignation. At least she should have felt slightly better to get on with such jokes; at the same time, he chants a vague hope that this will breed no awkward misunderstanding in the future.


End file.
